Whether it was fifty years ago or just one, many of you remember the excitement of graduation day at Emory. Waking up at the break of dawn, donning your robe, struggling to get your hood just right before lining up for your ceremonial procession to the Quad. It may have been bittersweet, but wherever life has led you, you are still a part of Emory.

This year marks Emory’s 175th year, and the Emory Alumni Association welcomed 3,879 new graduates to our ranks. More than six hundred walked across the Emory wrought-iron bridge to the Miller-Ward Alumni House during the Candlelight Crossover Ceremony to be greeted by alumni spanning more than fifty graduation years. The presence of alumni is a reminder that life after graduation still offers opportunity to be a part of Emory.

Even if you have not been back to campus since Commencement, you are still the face of Emory in your town. As our ambassador, please join me in welcoming and reaching out to our newest class of graduates. There are many ways to reconnect and be involved—be a virtual career contact; become an admission volunteer and help recruit the next generation of alumni; host a local event to strengthen the Emory network where you live; share your milestones and successes through class notes and e-class notes to inspire your successors; or simply join our LinkedIn or Facebook groups and connect with Emory online.

As we congratulate our newest graduates, let’s also help them see that Emory alumni are actively involved everywhere.